LIVERPOOL manager Rafael Benitez pointed to referee Steve Bennett’s 44th-minute intervention as the moment his side lost all ability to influence this fixture.

Yet, even before his £18m midfielder, Javier Mascherano, was banished to the visitors’ dressing room by the over-zealous official, Sir Alex Ferguson’s men had already condemed the Spaniard’s stellar performers to anonymity.

The margin of this victory – only the second time in 39 years that United have beaten their bitter rivals by three or more goals – will ensure that it is the creative elements in Ferguson’s side who receive the plaudits this morning, with Wayne Rooney in particular in sparkling form.

It was, however, the performance of the Red Devils’ destructive forces that most caught the eye.

This, according to Benitez, had been his best chance to date of ending his Old Trafford hoodoo – the Spaniard has yet to return from Old Trafford with so much as a point in his reign at Anfield.

The reason for the usually pensive Reds boss’ bullishness? The ominous form of his key men, Mascherano, Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres, the trio having inspired a sequence of seven straight wins coming into this meeting with the champions.

Even Ferguson had moved to speak of his concern at the threat Gerrard and Liverpool’s in-form striker Torres, who had scored nine goals in his previous six starts, would pose United’s defence.

He need not have worried, such was the defiant showing of his central defenders, Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic, and holding midfielder Michael Carrick, who will have enhanced his hopes of starting for England against France in midweek following this impressive display in front of scout Franco Baldini.

The £18m man, surprisingly overlooked for Fabio Capello’s first squad, certainly outshone his international team-mate Gerrard, the Liverpool captain often looked an isolated figure behind Torres as Carrick, Andersen and Paul Scholes gained a stranglehold on midfield. Only the combative Mascherano offered any resistance to United dominance, although his ultimate contribution proved fatal for his side.

Rarely, too, can Torres have endured such a difficult afternoon during his brief but dazzling Premier League career since a £21m summer move to Anfield from Atletico Madrid.

The powerful Spain frontrunner has made an immediate impact in English football, his pace and physical strength aiding his swift transition. However, just as in December’s meeting of these two sides at Anfield, Vidic and Ferdinand were never troubled by the fleet-footed forward. Torres appears to enjoy the grittier aspects of this division, yet he wilted under the rugged attention of Vidic and England international Ferdinand.

The prolific Cristiano Ronaldo, who collected his 34th strike of the term here, may collect the individual awards at the end of this season. But it would be folly to underestimate the role his back four have played in this title defence.

There will be many United fans who will have breathed a sigh of relief when Ferdinand was passed fit before kickoff and the England stopper’s pace was particularly vital to containing the flier.

The former Leeds man has formed a partnership with Vidic many consider to be the finest during Ferguson’s reign. The Serb adding steel to Ferdinand’s elegant style.

This imperious display here certainly reinforced such opinion.

Indeed, it was the Spaniard’s frustration which led to the dismissal of Mascherano, Torres earning a yellow card for complaining about a perecived lack of protection after a particularly robust challenge. When the Argentina international continued the discussion with Bennett, he was handed the same punishment – his second of the afternoon after a scything tackle on Scholes early in the game.

By this stage, of course, United had already taken the advantage, Wes Brown adding his name to a list of unlikely heroes, including John O’Shea, Russell Beardsmore and Diego Forlan, to have made their name in this fixture.

The Longsight Libero may have angered Ferguson with his refusal to sign a new contract but his header from Rooney’s cross may have softened the Scot’s feelings. For now at least.

When it comes to games against the old enemy, the influence of United’s backline is not limited to defensive matters. Defence really is the best form of attack on these occasions, it seems.

In the last five seasons alone Old Trafford defenders have contributed six strikes to Red Devils victories over the Reds – seven if you include O’Shea’s own goal in 2004.

This statistic, perhaps, highlights the importance set pieces often play in deciding the outcome of these clashes between the north west of England rivals, such are the narrow margins between victory and defeat.

Earlier in the season, Rooney exploited Liverpool’s fallibility from dead ball situations to gift Carlos Tevez the opportunity to carve his name into United folklore. On previous occasions both O’Shea and Ferdinand have pounded from corners to grab the decide.

In fact, no side have conceded as many goals from set pieces this season as Liverpool.

Ronaldo added to that unwanted statistic on 79 minutes – his first ever goal against Liverpool – before Nani grabbed the third to ensure United completed their second double over the Anfield outfit in two seasons.

Now that is a record those of a Liverpool persuasion will undoubtedly find harder to swallow.